The Witness of the Spirit

Acts chapter 5 verse 30. some of you have been standing all day so you can sit in a minute or two acts 5 30. the god of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you slew and hanged on a tree him if God exalted with his right hand with his power to be a prince and a savior for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins the Apostle Peter is giving the response here that I'll explain later and we are his Witnesses of these things and so is also the Holy Ghost whom God have given to them that obey him last Wednesday night I spoke on the theme to testify so tonight I want to speak on the witness of the spirit God bless you please be seated spoke on this theme before I got on a train of thought and so this is like the fully revised witness of this Spirit message and if it's what we're trying to accomplish right now in our church unless Wednesday night I I taught on the theme testify your testimony is very powerful and in review to testify is to witness a test or prove by an eyewitness account is to give evidence or proof of something existing or of something being the case that it really happened or exist your testimony is very powerful legal sentences are meted out based on credible testimonies your testimony is unique my testimony my salvation testimony is unique in several ways but there are also commonalities in our testimonies but you all have a before how and and now we all have before Christ how we came to God and now how he has changed our life we all have that common component of Our Testimony but there's another component to your testimony that makes it exponentially more powerful when you testify of the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Paul said in Romans 1 16 for I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it that good news in itself is the power of God unto salvation to everyone to believeth to the Jew first and also to the Greek for therein is a righteousness of God revealed from Faith to Faith as it is written the just shall live by faith so you're when you testify to the power of the Gospel your words are very powerful it was God who created the world Worlds by his words and he chose by the foolishness of preaching by the proclamation of the Gospel that the preaching itself the word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword words have power to them amen but there's something beyond the words that is spoken it is a second Witness it is like the power of a corroborating testimony that gives evidence or witness to what is spoken it makes it more certain in a trial a court trial a second witness is very powerful and the Bible teaches that we are his Witnesses and so also is the Holy Ghost there is a corroborating testimony that God gives when you witness he backs up what you say by the power of His Spirit and the Bible speaks quite a bit about the power of two or three Witnesses the evidence of two or three Witnesses is established in the Bible in God's word Deuteronomy 19 15. one witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity or for any sin in any sin that he sinneth at the mouth of two witnesses or at the mouth of three Witnesses shall the matter be established so in a legal matter in the Old Testament in the sentencing of judgment there had to be two or three Witnesses numbers 35 30 Echoes that same idea by the mouth of witnesses but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die in Matthew chapter 18 verse 16 when Jesus is dealing with church discipline he says but if he will not hear thee then take with thee one or two more that in the mouth of two or three Witnesses every word may be established we're going to be bring Clarity we're going to bring a corroborating testimony that's what we're going to do Paul is writing to the Corinthians second Corinthians 13 1 and he said this is the third time that I'm coming to you in the mouth of two or three Witnesses shall every word be established he was writing to Timothy about dealing with accusations that might come against leaders and Paul told him that you should never receive an accusation against an elder but in by two or three Witnesses the writer of Hebrews is referring back to the law of Moses in Hebrews 10 28 but he that despise Moses as law law died without Mercy under two or three Witnesses now the Bible is a book of wisdom and dealing with relationships it's good to get your facts straight get them right usually there's at least three sides to a story your side my side and the truth the objective truth and that other witness comes to testify comes to clarify comes to corroborate what is spoken and and the Bible is wise these principles of two or three Witnesses have applications to even to legal matters and to church matters as well the Lord has something in mind when he established two or three Witnesses there's an intriguing passage in John chapter 8. 8 17 on the screens it is also written in your law I like the way Jesus said that because he's having a debate there about his identity he said there's a there's also in your law that is testimony of two men is true now they were saying that he was testifying of himself so I want to read through a little lengthy passage in the new King James John 8 12 this very passage this scripture that we just read and I want you to see the words of Jesus and Jesus spoke to them again saying I'm the light of the world he who follows me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of Life the Pharisees therefore said to him you be your witness of yourself your witness is not true in other words they said it's just you you're all by yourself and you say you're the light of the world but why should we believe that you've only got one witness so Jesus said to them Jesus answering said to them even if I bear witness of myself my witness is true for I know where I came from and where I'm going but you do not know where I came from uh and where I'm going you judge according to the flesh I judge an outward and yet if I do judge my judgment is true for I am not alone but I am with the father who sent me it is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true that's that that's that verse I am one who Bears witness of myself and the father who sent me Bears witness of me remember when Jesus said you may not believe me but believe me for the work's sake that's that second Witness John 8 17-18 those last two verses I want to read it in the New Living Translation your own law says that if two people agree about something their witness is accepted as fact I am one witness and my father who sent me is the other now this is amazing that your personal testimony is a powerful witness testify that was the entire message last Wednesday night but there needs to be an additional testimony right to give that witness even more credibility that witness could be another person corroborating somebody might say well yeah I knew that guy that lady before they came to God and I can tell you that there's been a transformation so they can corroborate that testimony and they can tell someone who's kind of disbelieving that only God could do that only God could deliver them so there's that but for Jesus and for us that second witness is the witness of the spirit it is when God not only anoints your words but he backs you up with the power of His Spirit now what Jesus spoke about the second witness of the Holy Ghost is the same idea conveyed in our text in Acts chapter 5. this dual witness this testimony of two people you human being and God Almighty by the power of the Holy Ghost now I want to give a little background and we're going to get to that text in just a few minutes but the power of God that anointed Jesus Christ was also on the church and I want to just share with you some common passages Matthew 28 18 and Jesus came and spake unto them saying all power is given unto me in heaven and earth go ye therefore and teach All Nations baptizing them in the name I'm glad we know the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I Am with You alway even into the end of the world so Jesus said I want you to go and I'm going to go with you by the power of His Spirit he would go Mark chapter 16 verse 15. These are these are those great commissioned passages in the gospel and he said unto them go into all the world and preach the gospel to Every Creature he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved he that believeth not shall be condemned or damned the King James says and these signs shall follow them that believe you believe you're going to go and there are some signs that are going to go with you these signs shall follow them that believe in my name shall they cast out Devils they shall speak with new tongues they shall take up serpents and by the way not on purpose it happened to Paul acts 27 after the Shipwreck you know acts 27 28 it's Building A Fire a Viper comes out fastens on his hand he shakes it off in the fire they expect him to die but he doesn't he goes from being an escaped criminal to a god to them right I'm going to speak for new tongues take up serpents if they drink any deadly thing we don't really have a new testament example of that but maybe an old when they drank out of that pot that God healed you know it shall not hurt them they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover Luke's Great Commission passage Luke 24 46 and said unto them thus it is written and thus that believe Christ to suffer and to rise again from the dead the third day and that repentance and remission of sin should be preached in his name among all nations beginning at Jerusalem and you are witnesses of these things you're going to go and you're going to go everywhere and say this and behold verse 49 Luke 24 49 these verses are not on the screen so I just don't have an overwhelming number of verses and behold I sinned the promise of my father upon you but tear you in the city of Jerusalem until you be endued with power from on high you're going to go but you need to wait for that power because it will go with you John 20 21-22 then said Jesus to them again peace be unto you as my father hath sent me even so send I you and when he had said this he breathed on them and said unto them receive ye the Holy Ghost now no one received the Holy Ghost but he was giving them a hint he breathed on them the same God that breathed life into Adam is giving them a hint about the power of the spirit the Greek is pneuma right it's the wind of God and now acts 1 and 8 will display this verse but you shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you Powers dunamis it's where we get our word Dynamite it's this very powerful stuff that God put in you and I know sometimes we think that power is walk right talk right and that it does that amen is going to Quicken your mortal body amen hopefully it does that daily to resist temptation and when that last trumpet sounds in the dead in Christ rise first and then we are raised and corruptable it's going to Quicken our body then amen so the spirit does a lot in our lives you shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you and you shall be Witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria under the uttermost part of the earth these are the promises that Jesus made us made every believer that power of the Holy Ghost that fell at Pentecost that we celebrated on Sunday gave them power to go power to witness power to stand against Temptation power to lay down their lives and martyrdom it was powerful and every disciple that went everywhere was empowered by that second witness the power of the Holy Ghost Mark 16 20 and that Great Commission passage and they went forth and preached everywhere the Lord working with them and confirming the word with signs following amen that's the second testimony that's God backing you up that's God going with you that's God not leaving you hanging you out to dry that you would ever share your story and share the gospel and it would be powerless amen the Lord was working with them and I've really come tonight to just assure you that when you testify God is going to join that testimony if you're silent you get nothing but if you tell it he'll join your testimony there'll be a corroborating testimony that comes from Heaven that is more powerful than yours amen not in my nose when Paul is witnessing to Felix the Bible says it feels tremble there was no Miracle worked but when Paul preached the gospel to him the power of conviction fell on him when Peter preached on the day of Pentecost they were cut to the heart amen they felt the conviction of the power of that word God is never going to leave you without his secondary witness to empower you as you tell the story amen which leads me to our text acts 5 32 the heart of that text and we are his Witnesses of these things and so is also the Holy Ghost which God has given to them that obey them this second witness the witness of the spirit so I want to take just a few minutes and catch you up from acts 1 to Acts chapter 5 to this story Acts chapter 1 we're waiting and praying the appointment of someone to replace Judas Iscariot Matthias is selected Acts 2 Spirit Falls people are drawn to the power Peter preaches 3 000 are converted that day Acts 2 42 and they continued steadfastly and the apostles Doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayers Acts 3 Peter and John are going to the temple to pray three o'clock in the afternoon and a lame man is healed it is a notable miracle and it leads to the first persecution that follows up with some more persecution they call Peter and John in and they ask them in Acts 4 7 by what power or by what name have you done this now they have a reason for this it's political it's not sincere but they're relying on the old Testament law because if your Pharaoh's magicians and you perform a miracle that doesn't mean you're of God it can be a lying wonder and if someone was not in truth and worked a miracle they would be put to death so they're using the technicality of the scripture to ask them by what power and by what name have you done this they think they've got them on the spot but then Peter filled with the Holy Ghost said unto them you rulers of the people and Elders of Israel if we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent Man by what means he has made whole be it known unto you all and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth whom you crucified whom God raised from the dead even by him this man stands here before you whole this is the stone which was said it not in you Builders which has become the head of the corner now I can't help it pause right here he's the rejected Stone he's The Stumbling Stone the rock of offense he's the one that is cast aside he did not meet their criteria as a conquering savior he challenged their political positions and all of that right so they just kicked him out and Jesus only fits one place at the head of the corner as the Lord of your life amen and anywhere else he just makes you miserable yes he does he's become the head of the corner and this is the verse we love we love them all verse 12 on the screens neither is there salvation in any other for there is another name I can't help but get emotional about the name of Jesus Christ for there is none other name amen under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved it is the power of the name of Jesus amen when Peter and John looked at that man they said Silver and Gold Have we none but such as I have give IV in the name of Jesus of Nazareth rise up and walk amen and immediately his feet and ankle bone received strength and he leaping up stood and walked and entered into the temple for the very first time a previously Layman that could not go in the house of God went that day he's standing there with Peter and John this is all in these passages and they couldn't say anything about it you know he's healed they knew him they knew he sat there and begged at the gate beautiful but now he's healed so that's acts 4 everybody with me pretty powerful stuff in the book of Acts Acts chapter 5 well we've got ananias and Sapphira and we have judgment in the New Testament where two people are struck dead by the Holy Ghost for lying to the Holy Ghost not for holding back part of their imagined offering it was lying about it Barnabas Hadley and sold it brought the money laid it at the Apostle's feet ananias and Sapphira sold land decided they'd keep that part of the price and Peter told him it was yours is in your power you didn't have to lie amen so there you go that's that verse 12. and then after this by the hands of the Apostles or many signs and wonders wrought among the people and they were all with one according to Solomon's porch and the rest was no man joined himself to them but the people magnified them and Believers the more were added to the church multitudes both to men and women and verse Acts 5 15. I'm kind of leading to this text okay in as much that they brought forth the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and couches that at the least a shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them there came also a multitude out of the city's roundabout unto Jerusalem bringing sick folk of them which were vexed with unclean spirits and they were healed every one that's our heritage the high priest didn't like it he rose up Sadducees are filled with ending Nation they lay hands on the apostles and throw them into jail common prison the angel of the Lord comes at night opens the doors brings them out and said I want you to Run for Cover get out of the country no the angel did not say that I want you to go right back to the temple stand in the temple and speak into the temple to the people all the words of this life now you know this is a really bad decision they're going to get caught again they went back in the temple early in the morning and they taught high priest comes and those who are with them they call a council together all the sin unto the children of Israel they sent to the prison to have them brought they go into jail but they're not there they returned and they said well the prison was shut the Keepers were standing outside the doors it's got to be a weird feeling you're guarding the prisoners who have vanished and when we opened the door we found no men Within United priest captain of the priests heard these things they doubted wearing to this would grow like okay this is an inside job right I would never believe that God did this so they're wondering what is going on here behind the scenes they came in then somebody told them the men that you put in prison are standing in the temple and they're teaching people they went Captain to the officers and brought them without violence for fear of the people as they would have been stoned and when they brought them they set them before the council this is kind of coming into where this text is and they said did we did not we straightly command you I love this because you know we're the political leaders we're the religious leaders and we are in charge this is when it is okay to disobey civil Authority and in this case religious Authority did we not command you that you should not teach in this name they told them the name all right in Acts 4 12. and behold what an indictment you have filled Jerusalem with your Doctrine and you intend to bring this man's blood upon us well let me see I think just a few days ago you all were saying let his blood be upon us and upon our children did you not just say that then verse 29 . she'd been waiting on the text then Peter and the other Apostles answered and said we ought to obey God rather than men now I want to stop right here to say Romans 13 teaches about obeying civil Authority or to pray for kings and all them that are in Authority the Bible teaches us but now we're talking about religious persecution we're talking about it becoming illegal to preach in the name of Jesus Christ the legal to preach and you have to decide whether you're going to trust God or capitulate to the culture they said we ought to obey God rather than men the god of our fathers he's going to preach a little bit God of our fathers raise up Jesus whom you slew hanged on a tree him if God exalted with his right hand to a prince and a savior to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins and we Are Witnesses of these things and so also is the Holy Ghost we've been preaching this and we're not going to stop and the lame man that was healed that was a second Witness it was the witness of the Holy Ghost that backed up our words amen now it's interesting that after this if you look in your bibles if you're following along an X5 33 the Bible said when they heard that they were cut to the heart and they didn't repent they took counsel to slay them we are his Witnesses and we ought to obey God rather than men we just tell what we've seen and we've heard we share our testimony of what Jesus Christ has done for us everywhere we go but before how now of our story and when we testify something happens when we speak the spirit speaks there is the witness of the Holy Ghost that backs us up every time in the ministry of Jesus it were though it was a supernatural signs a supernatural signs confirmed his identity one of my life of Christ's books is called the words and works of Jesus Christ who is his the words he taught but it was more than that it was the power of the Holy Ghost that authenticated him that validated who he was that he was indeed the Messiah God come in the flesh amen so I want to say it again that the Lord is not going to leave you stranded he will not leave you comfortless or orphans he will come to you he will be with you even to the end as you go and you tell your story God's story Amen in your life he's going to back you up and when you speak for him he stands with you and speaks on your behalf by the Holy Ghost there are times that he will confirm his word with miraculous signs and wonders and miracles it may be that he convicts with the Holy Ghost as the story I shared about Felix who trembled and those that were cut to the heart we leave it up to God how he confirms his word but when your words Echo God's word then they do bring conviction they cut to the heart they move people because the word of God and this is where it's in my nose the word of God is quick and Powerful it is sharper than any two-edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit and joints and Marrow and then this last phrase and it is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart when when the Bible is preached or taught or shared across the table or no matter where it is the word of God has an amazing power to go right to the heart of that person because preaching is what I often do I'm amazed at how many times people will say you have no idea what you said today we were talking about that on the way to church that's what I was reading in my Bible I cannot do that I don't have that ability but the word of God is quick it's alive and it is powerful amen praise God that's why in our church we place a strong emphasis on preaching the Bible my words will pass away his word will never pass away my words might return void but his word will never return void amen so it when you when you testify when you tell the word of God it may just be in a calm tone in a Bible study but God backs you up he promised he would and he does amen miracles confirm the word of God Jesus promised that he would be in the church and he is in the church and I want to share with you just a few verses in Acts that kind of underscore this idea acts 4 33. and with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord and great grace was upon them all so the apostles are preaching and with great power the Holy Ghost gave them gives them witness with mirac miracles signs and wonders they preached the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ it's the apostolic proclamation of the resurrected Christ he died was buried rose again on the third day ascended into heaven sent back his Spirit he must be born again amen when you just tell the story it's powerful in itself the gospel is the power of God unto salvation but when you tell that story that some people think is a fairy tale is a myth that's just a Christian thing that word has life and it has power Jesus said the words that I speak unto you their spirit and they are alive amen praise God the Apostle Peter on the day of Pentecost he preaches about this and he tells them that you killed Jesus God raised him up we're his Witnesses and he says in Acts 2 33 therefore being by the right hand of God exalted having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost he hath shed for this which you now seen her this is the day of Pentecost he's telling them all these people speaking in tongues this God has done this you're hearing these people speak in your languages brother DJ said 15 different languages 18 people groups you're hearing them talk in your language that's God backing you up amen they preached salvation in Acts 5 and 12. by the hands of the Apostles or many signs and wonders wrought among the people acts 5 31. I'll just go all the way right to verse 32 our text and we Are Witnesses of these things and so is also the holy ghost in the preaching of Stephen in Acts chapter 6 and 8. the Bible said in Stephen Full of faith and power did great wonders and miracles among the people remember me remind you who Stephen was Stephen was a good man full of the Holy Ghost full of wisdom of an honest report he's one of six men seven men rather who are chosen in Acts chapter 6 to oversee a benevolence committee remember the dispute among the Grecian widows and the Hebrew widows that they were getting their fair share of the benevolence money so he's put over a benevolence committee with seven men total and now here's Stephen he doesn't have he's not doesn't have credentials but the United Pentecostal Church he is not called a preacher he's a volunteer in the church and all of a sudden he's preaching and miracles are happening the Bible says great wonders and miracles that's you amen Philip Philip's one of those men he becomes an evangelist acts 8 6. he's in Samaria preaching remember this and the people with one Accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake hearing and seeing the Miracles which he did here's Philip he just got to given an older lady money so she can make it to the end of the month and go back and that there is no government to take care of people that was what was done and now Phillips in Samaria preaching and miracles are happening unclean spirits crying with a loud voice came out of many that were possessed with them and many taken with palsies palsies can be shaking of body parts like we would think of Parkinson's or in some cases in the Bible Paralysis like the man lowered through the roof then he taken with palsies and that were lame or healed these are notable miracles Philip is not one of the twelve amen just want to make sure we got that right Paul's Ministry Acts 19 11 and God wrought special Miracles by the hands of Paul kind of know what a special Miracle is because it's explained so that from his body were brought under the sick handkerchiefs or aprons I want to stop right there for just a minute sometimes people come and they bring a handkerchief or cloth and ask us to anoint it and pray over it if you do that because it is a token of Faith there's no power in the handkerchief there's no power in the oil it's just it's olive oil but it's just oil but it is a symbol of faith it is what James 5 spoke speaks about lay hands on the sick anointing them with oil is that it is an expression of our faith so from Paul's body handkerchiefs or aprons and the diseases departed from them and the evil spirits went out of them I emphasize this verse recently in a related back to a time when Josh Herron was here preaching and he mentioned this verse and it stuck in my mind that something is in a person it is a sickness in a person it is a spirit in a person I'm not saying that sickness and spirit aren't the same there is a spirit of infirmity but there may just be sickness but the diseases departed from them and the spirits went out of them so in the spirit of that it seems that when we pray that we're praying healing in and we're praying sickness out I've been teaching about the laying on of hands testimony praying with people I think visualizing what happens here helps us have faith for what God is doing after all in Mark 11 after the cursing of the Fig Tree and the disciples see this and they Marvel at this Jesus said for as surely I say unto you that whoever says to this mountain you're going to speak to this impossibility right be removed and be cast into the sea and does not doubt in his heart but believes that those things which he says will be done he will have whatever he asks now that's the Bible amen Romans 15 17. this is a Ministry of Paul I have there I therefore wear of excuse me I have therefore where have I made Glory through Jesus Christ and those things which pertain to God he said I could brag about my Ministry for I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me to make the Gentiles obedient by word and deed so here it is again Paul's preaching but he doesn't just go and tell people a little story it's not just a Bible study it is confirmed with signs following amen everybody with me verse 19 through Mighty signs and wonders if I have a power of the spirit so that from Jerusalem and round about unto a lyricum I have fully preached the gospel I think what fully preached the gospel doesn't just mean he preached the whole truth but it was with word and deed it had power to back up the word yeah so I strive to preach the gospel not where Christ was named but I should build upon another man's Foundation he was an apostle who went where there was nothing and left something behind a couple more verses first Thessalonians 1 and 5. for Our Gospel came not unto you in word only but also in power and in the Holy Ghost and in much Assurance as you know what manner of men we were among you for your sake that's a great passage beyond the powers part of that First Corinthians 2 1. and I Brethren when I came into you came not with Excellency of speech or wisdom declared unto you the testimony of God Paul said I didn't just come with a fancy speech to try to intellectually persuade you only the gospel is powerful it is logical and rational people aren't converted by an argument they're converted by the power of God Amen they may change their mind that's what repentance is but it has the power of God delivers for I determined not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ and am crucified and I was with you in weakness and in fear in a much trembling in my speech and my preaching was not an enticing words of man's Wisdom but in demonstration of the spirit and in power he taught he wrote he preached but it was backed up by power and he tells us why in verse 5 that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God it's clear in the Bible all the way through the Old Testament and New and we need a power of a corroborating witness when we tell God's story we need to pray that the Lord would anoint us with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven we need to expect God to back us up when you with a calm voice just share your story and you share the scripture the word of God there is a power that is conveyed that is beyond anything that you can comprehend you should count on it you should expect it you should believe it even when you don't see any visible response that God is working in a human heart amen God is working God is working through the word amen I'm not going to reread it's in my notes Mark 16 but I read it earlier about the signs that follow them that believe and the Lord worked with them the word is where we get our word synergy sunergo it is working with them it is a Cooperative effort between the person speaking and the power of the Holy Ghost that is working with them God gives us Synergy of word and spirit and if you go God will go with you and if you will just Testify the Lord will back you up with the power of His Spirit if you're able please stand I want to encourage you to pray for opportunities to witness ask God to give you an Open Door it may start with someone at work it doesn't feel well or they've suffered loss in their family and they're going through a tumultuous time in a relationship they're Bound by sin whatever they feel comfortable sharing with you just ask them would it be all right if I just prayed for you and you don't have to scream and you don't have to go for the oil but you can just pray for them in the name of Jesus Christ whatever the context is amen he's not God is not hard of hearing his ears not heavy his arm is not short he can just pray a simple prayer in the name of Jesus Christ and when you do God will be there and God will work and that person's heart amen I know that we believe that God heals Saints but when you read through the book of Acts most often miracles confirmed the preached word to sinners it was the purpose of those miracles back them up so I actually have more faith praying for a sinner than I do a saint and I know God loves us aren't you glad he loves us we've seen lots of healings In Our Lifetime miracles of healing seeing goiters disappear legs lengthen seeing Miracles that God has done greatest Miracle is when Jesus Christ convicts the heart of a sinner they repent and they're baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins they're filled with the Holy Ghost they're born again their own Nature has changed so don't be shy just pray for boldness and everywhere we go expect God to use us